The Star Destroyer Warspite possessed an unassuming brig that
rarely saw use. Normally, it was completely vacant, but at present it
possessed its most noteworthy resident to date: Major Arden Zevrin. The
ISB Sector Officer had been detained for her detention of Lady Htaere
Sha`ar Ka`a Rodney, an ironic reversing of roles as she now sat confined
in a tiny cell. She stared through the energy shield that separated her
from freedom, plotting any number of ways that might result in her
freedom. She would not allow herself to meet an ignominious end at the
hands of a feeble sector commander blindly protecting his wife. "I do
not suppose you've considered a career with the Imperial Security
Bureau?" she asked the security guard poised outside her cell, obviously
joking as she made a vein attempt to solicit her release.

Major Kerrie Kiley marched swiftly into the brig, a determined and
focused look fixated upon the mimicked Human face she chose to show the
world. "Release the force field!" she angrily commanded, as she moved to
stand directly in front of the energy barrier. Her blue eyes narrowed,
focusing on Major Zevrin as she visualized her imminent death. The
gloved fingers of her right hand curled as it slipped around the handle
of her KYD-21 blaster pistol. "I should have done this years ago!" she
yelled angrily at Arden, quickly raising the weapon to aim it squarely
at her chest.

There was no fear in Major Zevrin as she knew full well the guard
would not release the energy field. She simply shook her head at Major
Kiley and let out a dejected sigh, so disappointed to see her former
protégé had not succumbed to her wound. "Major Kiley your continued
existence continues to amaze me..." she said as she moved to the simple
cot in the room, slowly sitting down upon it as she looked away from the
blaster-toting maniac. "Perhaps I should attempt to prolong your life.
Maybe then some accident would befall you and I would be rid of you in a
great irony..." she commented idly, laughing softly at the situation.

"I am sorry, Major Kiley," the officer on duty replied, as he shook
his head at the female officer. His hand covertly moved to the control
panel, where he activated the alarm. "I have orders from the Admiral
himself," he explained, focusing his eyes on her and speaking in a calm,
collected manner. "Under no circumstances is the force field to be
lowered," he reiterated, offering an emphatic nod.

"Ah!" Kerrie screamed as she spun around to face the officer, her
teeth clenching angrily as she stared him down. Her face flushed red
with anger and she raised the KYD-21 blaster pistol until it was level
with the officer's chest. "Open the force field!" she ordered, as her
hand began to shake, but she managed to maintain a steady aim.

Arden began to laugh as she watched Kerrie's outburst through the
energy field. Again she shook her head, rising back to her feet as she
walked right up the force field. "Is that your plan?" she asked, her
voice in an amused, mocking tone. "...to kill him and get arrested so you
end up in here with me?" she asked, a wide smile forming upon her face
as she let out an uproarious laugh. "You know what? That might actually
work. A first for one of your plans..." she informed her, the insults
seemingly ceaseless due to the level of contempt she held Kerrie in.

Having been alerted by the officer's use of the alarm, Admiral
Claudius Rodney hurried into the brig flanked by an entire squad of
Imerpial Stormtroopers. As his eyes focused on the sight in front of
him, he surged forward and glared angrily at his bodyguard. "Major Kiley!"
he bellowed, as he arrived directly in front of her, practically
screaming in her face. "...you will holster your sidearm!" he ordered, in
no mood to deal with her personal quest for revenge. This was precisely
why he had ordered his officers not to inform her of what had happened.
Someone aboard the Warspite had violated those orders, and he
would punish whomever that was.

Despite Kerrie's rage, she would not disobey an order from the
Admiral and she begrudgingly lowered her blaster pistol, and slid it
into the holster at her right hip. She turned to him, tears forming in
the corner of each of her eyes. "I know what she did to Htaere, Milord,"
she said to him angrily, but being deliberately vague to prevent the
others present from learning what happened to Htaere. "She must pay! She
must die!" she explained angrily as she got right up in the man's face.

Arden could not help but laugh at Kerrie's emotional outburst. It was
her weakness, and she had exploited it to her advantage repeatedly.
"Lord Rodney..." she called out to him through the force field, her voice
sounding quite enthused. "You would be a regarded as a great
humanitarian if you were to exile Major Kiley on a drought plagued
world..." she said with a loud laugh, moving back towards the cot. "With
the rate the woman cries they would have more water than they would know
what to do with..." she rudely pointed out, situating herself on the cot
as she impatiently awaited her release.

"Silence!" Claudius angrily bellowed at the ISB commander, having
lost all of his patience for her. He would have taken Kerrie's weapon
from her holster and shot her himself if he could, but he was a
gentlemen and even a monster like her must die through official means.
"Do not worry, Kerrie..." he said to her, loud enough for the Arden to
overhear. "She has received the justice she would not provide my beloved
wife..." he explained as he began to escort Kerrie from the brig. "You
don't know how easy it was to sign the order to terminate your life," he
said to Arden, as he flashed her a brief smile looking back at her
before he exited. For once, he would have a laugh at her expense.

For once Arden was not smiling and she rose from her cot and placed
her face directly to the energy field as she watched Claudius and Kerrie
depart the scene. "I have powerful friends!" she warned, yelling at the
top of their lungs so that they would be sure to hear. Indeed, her
friends were powerful ... but were they prompt.

Across the Core, within the towering might of the Imperial Palace,
Grand Vizier Sate Pestage waited uncomfortably for a meeting he had been
dreading since it first appeared on his calendar. Despite his best
efforts to avoid such dealings, members of the Imperial Senate still
commanded his attention in his position as President and Chair of the
Imperial Senate. But, just because it was his job, did not mean he had
to enjoy it. As he watched the doors to the small meeting room open, he
painfully forced a smile onto his ragged face that was partially
obscured beneath the ornate robes he wore to inform the casual eye to
his status. "Representative Ara ... it is a pleasure," he said in a kind
and courteous tone, the antithesis of his true nature.

Representative Tam Ara was a beautiful and alluring young woman who
had obtained her position in the Senate following the untimely death of
her elder brother. She had been handed everything she had in this world,
and spoiled noblewoman was used to getting her way. She glided
gracefully across the floor of the meeting room, her ornately designed
red dress flowing loosely with each of her steps. Blonde locks were
expertly coiffed, letting even the untrained eye know that was came from
wealth and importance. "Grand Vizier..." she said as she offered a polite
curtsey, her cheerful voice so obviously phony it was painful to listen
to.

Pestage let out a groan as he thrust his arms down along his sides,
visibly frustrated. "I am a busy man, Ara," he explained to her as he
turned around, moving towards one of the seats in the room. "I have no
time for games..." he continued, as his eyes found their way to roam over
her attractive, expertly crafted body. As he studied her, he wondered
how much of her beauty was natural and how much was bought and paid for.
"...and even less time for charades," he added as he shook his head with
her. "What do you want?" he asked as his hands gripped the arms of the
chair, jagged nails tearing into the upholstery.

Tam Ara chose to remain standing, relying on the chair to
effortlessly rest her body as she studied the ghastly features of the
Grand Vizier. He was perhaps the most disgusting man she had ever set
eyes upon, and his very presence was unnerving. "Why Grand Vizier, I
have no idea what you mean..." she said as she offered him a false smile,
attempting to be diplomatic. "...oh fine, but you're no fun!" she pointed
out as she folded her arms in front of her chest disappointedly. She had
hoped to draw it out somewhat, at least make it sporting, but he seemed
not to be in the food. "An officer in the Imperial Security Bureau is
being unjustly incarnated and is facing execution..." she informed her,
forcing her lips into a pout as she spoke in an artificially sorrowful
tone. "I want her released," she stated matter-of-factly.

The Grand Vizier let out an exasperated sigh as he heard the young
woman's request. It seemed his position largely involved doing favors of
this kind, which he had neither the interest nor patience for. "Let me
guess..." he said, as he looked up from her in the chair, not able to
contain the softest of laughs at his amusement with the situation. "She
is totally innocent ... blah, blah, blah, blah, blah..." he said as he
mocked her, not entirely sure why a member of the Imperial Senate would
choose to interject herself in what seemed like an obscure matter.

Representative Ara was withholding valuable information, not sharing
with him the fact that the officer in question was once her
sister-in-law. Nor did she share that the two conspired to eliminate her
brother, whom the officer had married, paving the way for both of their
careers. She smiled at the Vizier, her eyes going wide with delight. She
moved towards him, and rested a delicate, manicured hand upon the Vizier
robe-covered shoulder yes. "Yes. You have it exactly," she said as she
gave his shoulder a soft, gentle squeeze.

The Grand Vizier snickered, shrugging his shoulders to force her hand
from its grasp on him. "...and I assume her pardon would result in Kuat's
continued support in the Senate?" he said as he shook his head at the
simplicity of it all. It was a conversation he had many times throughout
the course of his work week, devoting too much of his time to the
political favors and nepotism that resulted in the complex operation of
the bureaucracy. How he simply wished to be done with it. He sighed in
defeat, having never offered any real resistance. He would do this as he
would do a thousand favors so that he claim a thousand of his own. "So
be it. What is her name? And who is holding her?" he asked, nearly
rolling his eyes at her as he repeated the words for the procedure for
the umpteenth time.

Tam smiled from ear-to-ear as she listened to Vizier's affirmation.
"Oh of course. How could Kuat not support such a just and wise man like
yourself?" she questioned factiously, her patronizing tone interlaced
with every word. "Her name is Major Arden Zevrin," she pointed out as
she turned and began to exit the conference room. "...and she is being
held in the Ringali Shell by the incompetent fool, Lord Rodney," she
added with a sense of genuine disdain, glad to be done with the matter
and away from the unbearable presence of the Grand Vizier.

When Sate Pestage learned the details of this favor his fingers dug
tightly into the fabric of the chair, the elongated nail of his right
index finger breaking off and causing a steady drip of blood onto the
floor. Unfortunately, the Representative had made her hasty getaway
before he could challenge her request. He remained there seated for a
long moment, the irritation fermenting inside of him as he considered
his situation. Someone would pay dearly for this ... and the Inquisitor he
had recently dispatched to the region immediately came to mind.

The Inquisitor was rather taken back when she heard she was being
summoned to a private communication suite aboard the Warspite. At
the time the messenger delivered the news, Serine had been intensely
training her newfound... pet and was highly annoyed to be interrupted.
She had almost considered throwing the poor boy right into the Nexu's
path to practice attack commands, but at the last second discarded that
idea... a bit too radical even for her. Covered in scratches... she
needed to change as she glared at the large black cat in the corner of
her room, growling dangerously and afraid towards her. There had been
some nice progress... but it was slow, thankfully for the Nexu, Serine
was rather patient, a bit too patient she mused, considering the
Admiral's lack of initiative with nearly everything. It took the
Inquisitor a few moments to change before closing the door tightly with
her exit, the last thing she wanted was a rampaging nexu down the
hallways. She arrived uncharacteristically late to the communications
room... stepping upon the large circular transmitter as she awaited
whomever... or whatever wished to speak with her so urgently.

Suddenly and without warning a holographic image began to flicker to
life in front of her. It was none other than Sate Pestage, the decrepit
Grand Vizier of the Galactic Empire ... the man who had dispatched
Serine to the Ringali Shell. The image presented itself much larger than
the Grand Vizier's actual appearance, the holonet having been designed
to intentionally inflate the men to appear as large as they did within
their minds. There was no hiding his displeasure that was evident in the
way his lips hung downward and his eyes glared ferociously at her,
burning with such an energy that it threatened to travel not only
through her, but the hull of the Star Destroyer. He would waste no time
with formality or pleasantry, she was there to serve him and he would
therefore treat her as a suppliant. "Inquisitor Thanor..." he began, his
voice sounding gnarled and infused with anger. "The recent developments
in your Oversector have reached us here on Imperial Center..." he
explained to her, in a manner that made intently clear to express his
displeasure. "We are not amused!" he said in a dismissive tone, followed
by an emphatic nod of his head.

This was a bit unfortunate as Serine had not properly prepared her
formal report for Pestage because it was not due for quite some time...
he was early to contact her, and as she saw his image flicker to life,
she quickly stiffened her form and clasped her hands behind her back in
respectful etiquette. "Milord, If you merely give me but a few minor
hours, I will completely prepare my report for you." This wasn't good,
Serine was completely unprepared for a verbal onslaught, with little
defenses... she needed that full report to at least retain some shred of
prestige. Dismayed, she continued... regrettably. "I have no excuse for
my apparent lack of progress." Inquisitor Thanor felt she was truly not
to blame here, at least for the majority of the issues, but she was
ultimately responsible, and a failure with everyone else was also her
failure, thus was the woes of commanding power in a high position.
Serine was also well above the pettiness of blaming others, passing the
blame would never come across her lips. "I am fully prepared for the
consequences, Grand Vizier."

The Grand Vizier's holographic hand waved towards her quickly in a
dismissive fashion. "The time for reports has past, Inquisitor," he said
with a slight snarl, his head lowering slightly as he focused his rage
upon her. She was a convenient scapegoat for the old man, who had just
been forced to humble himself in front of a member of the Imperial
Senate. Oh how he had come to disdain the body, a relic of a government
that had outlived its usefulness. "There are eyes and ears aboard that
starship that are broadcasting the events as if it were a holovid for
galactic amusement," he informed her with a sense of disgust he rarely
allowed others to see. "Now is the time for action..." he paused
suddenly, pulling his head back slightly as he considered his words.
"...or rather ... reaction," he corrected himself as he nodded at her
repeatedly.

Despite the fact that Pestage was directing all of his current
frustration upon her, she approved of his words. Serine had expressed to
the Admiral on many occasions of her desire to hit the rebels back
extremely mercilessly until they died or succumbed to the might of the
Empire. "Of course Milord. You but give the word." Serine was all too
anxious to solve whatever problems she may have caused and clear up this
trifle with Pestage.

The Grand Vizier allowed his jaw to remain clenched while the young
woman spoke, a low rumbling escaping between grit teeth. For his sake,
he hoped that she was not merely one of Tremayne's toys. "The Admiral
intends to execute a mid-level officer of the Imperial Security Bureau
whose name is not worth my breath..." he explained to her, the thought
of having to discuss one so low as a Major beyond the level of
irritation he could normally withstand. "The Imperial Senate..." he said
to her, the words sounding as if he were describing a disease. "...has
requested clemency," he informed her, doing what little he could to hold
back the contempt he held for the useless bureaucracy. "As the Admiral
will no doubt find this development ... unfavorable ... I choose the
luxury of sending you to inform him," he instructed her as his
holographic hand raised suddenly to point squarely towards her chest. "I
trust that even you can mange that," he said in an unjustified insulting
tone, transferring his feelings towards Tam Ara to the Inquisitor.
Before the woman could no doubt express her confidence in her abilities
yet again the transmission abruptly terminated, the hologaphic image
flickering away into nothingness. He had wasted enough time on this
matter already.

As Pestage continued on his demoralizing speech, Inquisitor Thanor
would stand at attention void of emotion and expressionless, though the
moment the image faded away, she growled heavily, eyes lit up in rage.
This entire mission was making her look completely incompetent! The
Admiral... was causing her so much trouble by his useless inaction that
she was all too eager to ruin his day and hopefully gain back some
confidence from the Grand Vizier. With newly inspired direction and an
unmatched determination, she exploded from the room and nearly trampled
anyone who dared to step in her way as she stomped down the hall towards
the brig. She did not know the name of the intelligence officer, but no
matter, she would release everyone in detention if she had to. The
turbolift doors could not open fast enough and were shoved aside as the
Inquisitor stormed into the brig, demanding the highest ranked officer
his or her full and unwavering attention. "The ISB officer stated for
execution will be immediately pardoned and released." Serine's eyes bore
through the patron with heated intensity and since he refused to move
that instance, she screamed at him viciously. "Do it now!" If the
Inquisitor had to, she would rip open every detention door with her bare
hands.

Major Arden Zevrin offered a soft, victorious chuckle as the force
field dematerialized in front of her. She had been expected this, ever
since her minion got a message out to her benefactor, though it came not
a moment to soon. She took a moment to properly adjust the cream-colored
tunic that adorned her well-toned feminine body. She stepped forward out
of her cell, before turning to the officer who had been in charge of
monitoring her during her captivity. "Lieutenant..." she began as a sly
grin curled upon her face. "I expect you to put more effort into
entertaining future guests of this facility. ISB brigs are much more
inviting..." she informed him as a loud, repetitive snicker began to
escape her lips. She offered a brief nod to the Inquisitor, without
offering any verbal gratitude, as she began to swagger out of the
detention facility. She had a feline way of always landing on her feet,
no matter from where she was thrown. Now, it was time to deal with Major
Kiley before she would circumvent Imperial authority and conduct the
execution on her own behalf.

Ah, Major Zevrin... Serine faintly remembered this woman, of course,
how could she forget such an irritating person. "Unfathomable amount of
effort was involved in your pardon, Major, I question if it was worth
the Empire's time." Serine snorted a bit disheartened, now knowing all
of this urgency was to save Arden, though perhaps she was being a bit
too judgmental... she wasn't fully aware of the other woman's potential
or skills so the assessment was unfair, but that didn't change her
initial first impression. A menacing gaze was given to the rest of the
petty officers present before she too exited the room. No doubt the
Admiral would have some words to speak with her about it... but the
Inquisitor was through catering to that man, if he wished to argue about
her orders, then she would gladly entertain him on his own time, not
hers. Serine strolled down the hallway on her own good time, fairly
confident, her composure finally returning, but that flaring anger still
rumbling... and untamed, much like her Nexu.